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What is the HEATWORKS MODEL 1?

ISI Technology has invented and patented the most advanced, reliable, energy and water saving electric water heater in the world. It uses state of the art electronic technology to directly energize and heat the water molecules, rather than heating the water with old-school resistance heating elements. The MODEL 1 eliminates all failure modes of conventional water heating technology and provides more features at the same or less cost. This technology also offers the possibility of WiFi or “smart grid” connectivity to measure and control temperature, duration, and power levels.

The HEATWORKS MODEL 1 is a tankless electric water heater which revolutionizes the way water is heated. The MODEL 1 produces instant, endless hot water while providing up to 40% energy savings and 10% water savings. No more standing around waiting for heating elements to heat up in order to then heat the water. No more timing your mornings around having enough hot water or having the hot water run out in the middle of a shampoo. HEATWORKS MODEL 1 tankless water heaters provide a consistent, precise, reliable stream of hot water, even at low flow rates.

12.5 Inches (32 cm) long and 6 Inches (15 cm) in diameter

The HEATWORKS MODEL 1 autosenses voltage and reduces comparable SKU, or model, decisions from dozens for competitors to one for MODEL 1, which makes the MODEL 1 able to fit virtually any application.

Why buy one?

Because it's the best!

Existing water heaters are stuck in the past—and not very good. Until now, we’ve accepted that, because there hasn’t been a better way. Here are a few outstanding features of the MODEL 1;

And if those aren't enough here are a few more reasons...

How can the MODEL 1 help me? Ask yourself "What do I need or want today?"

HEATWORKS MODEL 1's performance, and reliability far surpasses all electric tank and tankless units. DOE estimates that a typical family can save $100 or more per year with a tankless water heater. Department of Energy supporting article .

Depending on where you live, and how much hot water you need, you might need more than one MODEL 1 to satisfy your needs. The easy way the think about sizing, is that a MODEL 1 can provide enough hot water for one shower at a time in most parts of the country. If you are replacing a tank-type water heater and want to take two or more showers at a time, you might need two or more, which could require electrical upgrades. We always recommend that you have an electrician determine if you have enough power available in your structure. If you have any questions, please contact us for sizing information.

Placing a MODEL 1 on the outlet side of your existing gas or electric tank type water heater can almost double the amount of effective hot water you have. All tank type water heaters have a certain capacity. A 40 gallon (150 liter) water heater doesn't have 40 gallons of useful hot water, because for every gallon of hot water that leaves, a gallon of cold water flows into the tank. This effectively means that the actual hot water available is 33-50% (less than 20 gallons/ 75 liters) of the tank's storage capacity.

It's operation is simplicity itself. As the water coming out of the tank type water heater starts to cool, the MODEL 1 will add the incremental amount of heat required to raise the temperature to your desired temperature, and therefore be able to "extend" the amount of useful hot water you have available. The MODEL 1 "extends" the amount of useful hot water at over 99% efficiency, but only when you need it.

The MODEL 1 can be installed in the hot water piping in a remote location that is far from the existing water heater, such as a master bathroom or an outdoor shower. This saves a significant amount of water, and increases user satisfaction, and does this with efficiency greater than 99%!

The same “extender” concept can work in solar hot water applications. The HEATWORKS MODEL 1’s ability to accept preheated water and outstanding temperature control clearly differentiates it in this application. Other applications include log cabins, camp grounds and mobile showers.

Why we are different......

What is the problem with the existing products out there?

All existing electric water heaters rely on convective heating elements. Operational and safety issues with the heating element technology include premature failure of heating elements and flow switches, scalding issues related to thermal mass, unacceptable low-flow water temperature control, inability to turn on at flow rates less than 0.5 gallons per minute, (1.9 liters/min) and inability to operate in intermittent or aerated water flows. In short, antiquated, unreliable, and inefficient.

In order to accurately purchase the correct unit for your home, you have to compare dozens of units. This is frustrating and time consuming for most consumers. The state of the art HEATWORKS MODEL 1 eliminates innumerable model selection because it adjusts automatically and accommodates dozens of power (voltage and current) combinations. One need = a single choice = the HEATWORKS MODEL 1!

How is the HEATWORKS MODEL 1 better?

...Than conventional electric tankless heaters. Conventional electric tank or tankless water heaters work on the same principle as a hair dryer or electric toaster.

Electricity passes through a heating coil which is heated to over 1000°F (538 °C) which then heats the water. This process means that a tremendous strain is placed on the coil which frequently burns out or breaks in as little as 12 months. Most units also contain a flow switch, which is inherently unreliable technology. The flow switch creates a "flutter" of alternating hot and cold water at low flow rates, which is frustrating and uncomfortable, but also unsafe due to excessive heating of water which can cause scalding. HEATWORKS MODEL 1's graphite electrodes use the resistance of the water to heat it, and so they never get hotter than the surrounding water. This ensures a long life while heating the water reliably and consistently, even at low flow rates. Plus, the MODEL 1's technology heats the water instantly where any other electric tankless unit take a minimum of 30 seconds to heat the water, which wastes the water that goes down the drain until the hot water arrives.

Not having a flow switch also saves water because the MODEL 1 produces hot water at 0.1 GPM (.4 Liter/min), while competitive units require at least 0.5 GPM (1.9 LPM) just to turn on. ASHRAE data shows that half of hot water draws in a house are 0.5 GPM (1.9 LPM) or less, so that every other product out there requires a higher water flow just to turn on, which also wastes water.

...Than competitive units. Competitive units require dozens of SKU’s (specific models) to satisfy each specific application’s power requirement as their technology requires one SKU for each voltage and current combination, but the MODEL 1 auto senses voltage and cycles, and can be user adjustable for current from 15-48 amps, so that it fits any application. The MODEL 1 also does not require any maintenance, which can save $150/year over competitive units which should be disassembled to clean the heating elements and flow switch of minerals and debris.

...Than natural gas tankless water heaters

Natural gas is an efficient and affordable way to heat water. Unfortunately it is not available in all areas meaning more expensive propane needs to be delivered on a routine basis. Since most homes with natural gas do not have natural gas supply available at each bathroom or use point, natural gas tankless water heater installation can lead to expensive and intrusive renovations. In addition, the base cost of tankless natural gas water heaters is several times that of a HEATWORKS MODEL 1 unit, it can take up to ten years to recoup purchase and installation costs. Gas tankless units also require annual maintenance, adding costs which increase the net payback period. The average cost of annual maintenance for the current tankless water heaters on the market is about $150, There is NO maintenance needed for the MODEL 1!

...Than traditional tank water heaters

Traditional tank water heaters are what most people are familiar with when thinking of hot water. The largest drawback of tank water heaters is that they waste a tremendous amount of energy heating water when no one is using hot water. They also waste water as it makes its way from the water heater to your faucet or shower. The MODEL 1 heats water only when needed, saving time and money.

A leaking or ruptured tank water heater can lead to expensive repairs caused by water damage. The MODEL 1's high quality materials and leak-proof design eliminates these risks and provides safe and reliable hot water. To top it off, you will save space with our small 12.5" (32 cm) long unit rather than a big 46" (117 cm) unit!

So ... what are some more benefits

What's our status?

ISI has been inventing, testing, and refining the HEATWORKS MODEL 1 technology since 2006, and we are now raising money to buy production tooling and build our first few thousand units. Here is a photo of our Gen 1 “test mule”, and one of our Gen F unit, which is the basis for the MODEL 1

Give me some Specs!

Delivers 2.0 GPM (7.6 LPM) of hot water at 240 VAC and 48 amps (multiple units can be mounted in parallel, or in several places, to provide more hot water). (Be sure to check with your electrician to be sure your system can provide the required power). This assumes incoming water temp of 70 F (21 C) and output of 110 F (43 C). You may need more than one for your application.

Autosenses AC voltage from 100-277 V, and 50 - 60 hZ. Single phase power. Max current draw is set from 15 to 48 amps by user at installation

ISI Technology has been inventing, developing, prototyping , and testing this technology since 2006. We are now ready for production, and the money raised from people like you will allow us to complete our WiFi add-on module and begin manufacturing the MODEL 1 in the USA. Thank you for your support, and helping us reduce our energy and water consumption. as they say, together we can make a difference.

We believe that the world needs a better, more efficient water heater, and the MODEL 1 is the ONLY product that fills that need. We hope that you will join us in moving this project forward for the best hot water experience and to significantly benefit our environment!

Risks and challenges

Risks are very few as we have been developing and testing this technology for several years now. The only potential issue would be any delays or defects in the production tooling for the molded plastic parts.

FAQ

In most cases, natural gas – powered tank water heaters are less expensive to operate than electric tank water heaters, (LP or propane is more expensive that electric). So based solely on operating costs we usually do not recommend replacing natural gas water heaters that are currently working with MODEL 1 units.

However, they do have failure modes and downsides that the MODEL 1 does not have, including maintenance, so that should be considered when replacing a failed gas tank water heater. The “extender” application of the MODEL 1 is perfectly suited to gas or electric tank type water heaters, and when the tank water heater fails, you will have some level of hot water until the whole system can be replaced.

The MODEL 1 has ¾” inlet and outlet fittings. A “Shark bite” style connectors should be used to connect and/or adapt to the plumbing system.

While the actual installation of the MODEL 1 is very straight forward, be advised that you may need additional electrical power. In most cases, 100 amp home service is sufficient for one MODEL 1, 150 amp is sufficient for two MODEL 1s, and 200 amp service is sufficient for three MODEL 1s. However we always recommend using the services of a licensed electrician to evaluate your specific needs.

We are also happy to help where we can, and plan on having an installation video out in the next week or so. In retrofit applications, it usually makes sense to replace your existing tank with one or more MODEL 1s, and utilize the existing hot water piping system.

The number of MODEL 1s and their respective power levels required to get enough hot water are primarily driven by two factors; the incoming water temperature, and what flow rate in gallons per minute (GPM) you want.. The easy proxy for flow rate is how many showers you would want to take at a time. Typical shower heads are 2 GPM, with some very good ones now available at 1.5 GPM (for lots of reasons, we love low flow shower heads!) .

The MODEL 1 provides incremental heat to the incoming water, therefore raising the temperature. In order to calculate the temperature rise at 1 GPM, multiply the kilowatts available (which is volts times amps/1000) times 6.83. For example, 240 volts at 48 amps = 11.52 kW, which will provide a 78 degree (F) temperature rise at 1 GPM, or 53 degrees at 1.5 GPM.

The average comfortable shower temperature is about 105 degrees, so if your incoming water temperature is 53 degrees or more, one unit should work for one shower at a time with a 1.5 GPM shower head. If the incoming water temperature is less, or the flow rate is more, you will likely need more than one. Since much of this is site-specific, please click on this link and look at the chart for your groundwater temperature, or contact us for sizing information.

While we are still working out the details, here are a few sure things;

1) It will be plug and play, draw its power from the MODEL 1 (so it won't need it's own outlet), and will be backward-compatible for all units

2) At a minimum, you will be able to control output temperature and maximum power level (great for remote control by utilities). There are also some data gathering and additional control features we are working on, but at a minimum, it will be very cool.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $350 or more
About $350

HEATWORKS MODEL 1 at lower cost now! Pledge today to get this amazing deal! Once you see us in the marketplace you will be excited to know you got a great price by purchasing our product early (projected retail price is $395)!

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,400 or more
About $1,400

50 customers will receive 4 HEATWORKS MODEL 1 for $350 per unit, a total of $1400! Pledge now to get your 4 units at this amazing price! You are saving $45 per unit at this price! Add $200 to ship outside the US.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,750 or more
About $1,750

50 customers will receive 5 HEATWORKS MODEL 1 units for $350 per unit, a total of $1750! Pledge now to get your 5 units at this amazing price! You are saving $45 per unit at this price! Add $250 to ship outside the US.